Top-seeded Rangers meet Senators for pivotal Game 5

The top-seeded New York Rangers will try to regain the lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinals, as they host the Ottawa Senators tonight at Madison Square Garden.

The clubs have alternated wins through the first four games of this series with New York claiming the odd-numbered contests. Ottawa tied the set at two wins apiece with a home overtime victory in Game 4.

Kyle Turris scored 2:42 into overtime to lift the eighth-seeded Senators to a victory on Thursday at Scotiabank Place. Jim O'Brien gained the Rangers end down the left wing and cut over before leaving a drop pass for Turris, who skated over to the left circle and snapped a shot over the glove of Henrik Lundqvist and just under the bar in the right corner.

"I knew the defender was going to go down and try to block it so I wanted to get it between his legs," said Turris. "I was more just trying to get it through -- because they were blocking so many -- than trying to place it somewhere."

Sergei Gonchar posted a goal and an assist while Milan Michalek added a goal for the Senators. Craig Anderson continued to shine in the series as he stopped 31 shots. After allowing four goals in the series opener, Anderson has yielded two goals or less in three straight games.

"Our fans help us play about 10 to 20 percent better and give us that energy we need when we are playing flat," said Anderson.

Ottawa, which is trying to win its first playoff series since reaching the Stanley Cup Finals in 2007, played a second straight game without captain Daniel Alfredsson. The veteran Swede suffered a concussion in Game 2 after he was elbowed in the head by New York's Carl Hagelin, who was suspended three games for the hit and will be eligible to return for Monday's Game 6 in Ottawa.

Ryan Callahan and Anton Stralman posted goals for the Rangers, who got 28 stops from Lundqvist in the loss. Lundqvist was not as sharp as he had been in Game 3, when he stopped 39 shots to lead New York to a 1-0 victory.

"It's frustrating to lose in overtime," said head coach John Tortorella. "But there were some positive things to take from this. We need some more guys to step up and get involved."

The Rangers, who won their first Atlantic Division title this season since 1993-94, are trying to win their first playoff round since ousting New Jersey in the 2008 conference quarterfinals. The Blueshirts have lost four straight postseason series since beating the Devils four years ago.